High school gymnast shines in competition despite rare neurological disorder

Mike Krumboltz

The SideshowMarch 14, 2014

Brittany Capozzi is a high school gymnast facing an unusual battle. The junior at Pinkerton Academy in New Hampshire excels in gymnastics despite having a rare neurological disorder known as Kleine-Levin Syndrome, WMUR reports.

People with KLS — sometimes known as "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome" — experience waves of excessive sleeping (around 22 hours a day) and an inability to function and comprehend while awake, according to the KLS Foundation. Brittany experiences these symptoms at some incredibly inopportune times.

Her last episode hit her the day of the state gymnastic competition last month, WMUR reports. Brittany said she doesn't know how she got through the event. "Probably muscle memory," she guessed.

Some memory — Brittany managed to finish second in the all-around and helped lead her team to an undefeated season.

Each of Brittany's KLS episodes lasts about a week, she told WMUR. There is no known cure, but some people do eventually outgrow it.

In the meantime, Brittany hasn't let it slow her down. She's already being recruited by "several Division I colleges for gymnastics," according to WMUR.